Rapid-adjustable wrench.



A. W. McCORD.

RAPID ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

APPLICATION r1150 APR. 11. 1916.

1,204,999. Patented Nov 14, 1916.

l7 ll 2 z 5 /.9 Z0 Ai I817 ARTHUR W. MQCORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA.

RAPID-ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed April 11, 1916. Serial No. 90,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR V. MoConD, a citizen of the United States,residing at llashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Rapid-Adjustable renches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tools and more particularly torapid adjustable wrenches.

It is the object of this invention to provide a wrench with a rapid andfine adjustment, the rapid adjustment being automatic and the fineadjustment being manually operated, in which the movement of the sameelement performs both adjustments.

It is the further object of this invention to so construct the devicefor engaging the adjustment element that it will positively engage andsecure the element upon the rapid adjustment irrespective of therelation of the position of the element to the wrench proper. Theadvantages of this construction are many, among which are that the rapidadjustment is automatic and is controlled by the same hand that graspsthe wrench without removing the hand from the handle, whereby varioussized nuts may be engaged or released by the automatic adj ustment.Another advantage is that upon actuating the rapid adjustment theadjustment element will aways be positively locked in that exact.position by the engaging device.

A further advantage is that, if an automatic rapid adjustment is closeror looser than required, the exact adjustment desired may be obtained bymanually operating the adjustment element without releasing it from theengaging device, and this fine adjustment may be made by the same handthat grasps the handle. As the rapid and fine adjustment may be made bythe same hand that holds the wrench, it is of particular advantage wherethe position of the nut to be operated is such that it can be reached byone hand only, as sometimes occurs on large engines and automobiles.

lVhile the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon theaccompanying sheet of drawing yet it is to be understood that minordetail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of this improved wrench. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal central sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional View through the engaging device on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4: is an enlarged longitudinal central sectional view taken on theline 44 of Fig. 3.

This improved wrench comprises a fixed jaw 1 having a shank 2 extendingthrough the handle 3. A movablejaw a is mounted to engage and slide onthe shank between the fixed jaw and handle and is preferably providedwith a lip 5 extending slightly beyond the end of the fixed jaw. Thehandle 3 extends from the shank 2 on the side of the projecting jaws land at and may be formed integral with the shank, if desired. The handleand adjacent portion of the movable jaw are provided with coaxial bores6 and 7 parallel with the shank, in which is mounted a screw-threadedrod or adjustment element 8. The portion of the adjustment elemententering the movable jaw is not threaded and is rotatably held inengagement with the jaw by a knurled ring 9 secured thereto, as by apin10, and held intermediate the length of the bore in rotative engagementbetween the walls 11 of a cut-out portion of the body of the aw. Thebore 7 in the handle is slightly greater in diameter than thescrew-threaded adjustment element 7 and the lower end of the adjustmentelement is provided with an enlarged guiding head 12 slidably engagingthe bore whereby the screw-threaded adjustment element is centeredparallel to the shank between the movable jaw and the handle and thescrewthreaded portion held out of contact with the handle bore. A coilspring'13 is inserted in the handle bore to engage the guide head on theadjustment element and the outer end ofthe bore closed, preferably by ascrewthreaded cap 14. The spring will normally tend to hold the movablejaw against the fixed jaw and will return the movable jaw toward thefixed jaw when the movable jaw is moved away therefrom and released.

To maintain the movable jaw in fixed position upon the shank the outerwall of the handle bore adjacent the upper end of the handle is cut awayand the sides of the handle and shank are recessed to receive anengaging device in the form of a half-nut 15 correspondingly threaded tothe threaded portion of the adjustment element having sides 16 extendingthrough recesses in the sides of the handle and shank which sides areconnected exteriorly of the shank by a strap forming a push button 17The threads of the half-nut portion are normally held in engagement withthe threads of the adj ustment element by a spring 18 preferably betweenthe exterior of the shank and the push button. This engaging device willnot only 'maintain the adjustment element against the tension of thespring but will allow of adjustment of the movable jaw independent ofthe spring by the threaded engagement allowed of a manual operation ofthe adjustment element through the turning of the knurled ring.

The pressure upon the engaging device is taken up by the walls 19 of thecut-out portion and the walls 20 ot the recesses in the handle andshank. To provide for the complete engagement of the threads of the.

' half-nut with the adjustment element the sidewalls 20 of the recessesin the side of thehandle and shank receiving the extending sides of thehalt-nut are tapered slightly toward the exterior of the shank whereby aslight play is provided for the extending sides to transmit an angularmovementto the half-nut so that should the points of the threads of thehalf-nut fail to fall directly between the points of the threads of thead justment element, upon a spring operated "apid adjustment, the playof the sides will produce sufficient angular movement to the points ofthe threads'upon the half-nut to cause them to enter into fullengagement with the threads upon the adjustment element.

with a set-in grip 21, partially of wood, or, if desired, may beprovided with a complete grip of wood or other material, or may be ofmetal integral with the shank. The portion of the handle containing thebore may be integral with the shank, as shown, or may be constructedseparately and secured to the shank, without departing from the scope ofthis invention.

hat I claim is I 1. In a rapid adjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shankthereon, a movable jaw slidable upon the shank, a handle, a spring- Ifdesired, the handle may be provided pressed screw-threaded adjustmentelement slidably,mounte'd in the handle and rotatably engaging themovable jaw, threaded means upon the upper end of the handle fordetachably engaging the threads of the adjustment element for performinga rapid adjustment, and means for rotating the ad just-merit element"for manually performing a fine adjustment of the movable 2. In a rapidadjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shank thereon, a movable jaw slid-ableupon the shank, a handle, said movable jaw and handle provided withcoaxial bores and having cut-out portions entering into said respectivebores, a screw-threaded adjustment element mounted in said bores havinga rotatable engagement with a movable jaw and a rotatable and slidableengagement with the handle, a sprii'ig in the handle bore between theends of the said element and handle, a manually operable ring secured tothe adjustn'ient element in the cut-out portion of the movable jaw, anda springpressed releasable half-nut normally in engagement with thethreads of the adjustment element slidably mounted in the re cess in thehandle.

3. In a rapid adjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shank thereon, a movablejaw slidablj' mounted upon the shank, a handle having a bore parallelwith the shank and having a cut-out portion'entering into said bore, aspring-pressed screw-threaded adjustment cl-ei'nent mounted in the borein engagement with the movable jaw, a spring-pressed releasable threadedhalf-nut normally engaging the threads of the adjustment element mountedin the cut-out portion of the handle, and means providing an angularmovement of said half-nut whereby the threads of the nut will angularlyadjust themselves to completely engage the threads of the adustmentelement.

ARTHUR lV. MCCORD. ll itnesses GUY lV. McCono,

Laxeoox Moons.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G,

